1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to motorcycles and more specifically to an apparatus for allowing an accessory to be quickly, easily, and securely attached to a motorcycle in a secure manner and allowing the accessory to be quickly and easily detached from the motorcycle.
2. General Background of the Invention
In the United States, today's motorcycle industry is fueled and driven by enthusiasts who consider riding motorcycles a sport and accessorizing and personalizing them as an avocation. The motorcycle accessory aftermarket is a multibillion-dollar industry. But since motorcycles vary widely in their configuration, servicing the market demands stocking a large number of similar accessories adapted to fit specific models of motorcycles. To reduce the complexity of stocking inventory to fit all types of motorcycles, what is needed is an easy means for securely attaching a standard accessory to a large number of different motorcycle models.
In addition, many motorcycle enthusiasts only desire to have the accessory attached to their motorcycle for specific activities and do not want the accessory attached to their motorcycle for other activities. For example, many motorcycle enthusiasts desire to have a windscreen or windshield (hereinafter referred to only as “windshield”) when they are going to be taking a long ride at highway speeds in order to minimize fatigue resulting from the force of the wind and to reduce the probability of being injured by debris thrown into the air by other vehicles. Yet many of these same enthusiasts do not want a windshield when taking short trips or traveling at lower speeds because they desire to experience the wind in their face. Another example is the use of saddlebags. Many enthusiasts may want to use saddlebags when they are taking a long trip or traveling to the store to purchase items that they will have to carry home on their motorcycles, but they may not want to be burdened with the saddlebags when they are merely going out for a leisurely ride. Thus, what is needed is a means for securely attaching a standard accessory that allows the accessory to be easily removable from the motorcycle without the use of tools. And since enthusiasts will often operate their motorcycles with the accessories detached, any portion of the apparatus used to attach the accessories must be sleek and unobtrusive so as to not distract from the aesthetics of the motorcycle itself when the accessory is not attached to the motorcycle.
In addition to variations between motorcycle models, there is often a wide variation in the configurations of the different types a specific class of accessory that are available. For example, since most motorcycles are sold without windshields, a large variety of windshield styles are available to allow the owner of a motorcycle to accessorize the motorcycle with a windshield that appeals to the owner's sense of aesthetics. It goes without saying that a motor cycle owner will be much more likely to purchase a windshield, or even multiple windshields, if it can be easily and securely attached to the motorcycle and quickly and easily removed from the motorcycle. The same is true for other types of accessories as well.
Another factor that must be taken into account is the safety of the accessory when it is attached to the motorcycle. For example, a windshield must resist a great deal of force when the motorcycle is moving along a highway at speeds of 70 m.p.h or more. Any system of attaching the windshield must be able to resist this force. In addition to the wind force, the mounting system must also be able to resist other forces that the motorcycle is a subject to such as the force of impacts incurred by the motorcycles wheels as they encounter irregular road surfaces that is transferred through the motorcycle's suspension to the remainder of the motorcycle, including attached accessories such as a windshield. And yet another force that can be incurred on a windshield specifically is a large wind force from the side of the windshield or even from the rider's side of the windshield resulting from a large truck or similar vehicle passing by the motorcycle at a high speed.
Despite the known existence of these forces, existing, detachable mounting devices are known to fail, allowing windshields and other accessories to become suddenly, and unexpectedly detached from the motorcycle. One example is the device disclosed in now-expired U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,035 for a Quick Detachable Motorcycle Windshield, which is incorporated herein by reference. The motorcycle windshield disclosed in this patent utilizes a flimsy wire to retain the windshield in place, which is known to allow the windshield to detach from a motorcycle unexpectedly. In contrast, the present invention includes a latching mechanism that is biased to a latched position and positively locks into place eliminating the potential for the windshield or other accessory to unexpectedly detach from the motorcycle.
While the background for the present invention has been described in terms of its applicability to motorcycle accessories such as windshields and saddlebags, it should be obvious to one of skill in this art that this invention is equally applicable to other types of vehicles, boats, and airplanes as well as anywhere else a quick and secure means of attaching one thing to another that is also easily detachable without the use of tools is required.